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| Wilson eyes goal of safe and affordable drinking water |
November 06, 2001 |
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| Wilson’s ‘Safe Drinking Water Act’ provides funds to help with cost of meeting EPA regulations on Arsenic
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Heather Wilson wants to keep water safe, accessible, and affordable for New Mexicans and today introduced the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure that happens even after stricter EPA arsenic standards take effect.
There are concerns throughout the country, including Western states like New Mexico and Nevada where arsenic is naturally occurring, that the new, tighter standards for drinking water could greatly increase the cost of treated water for consumers. Albuquerque Mayor Jim Baca, incoming Mayor Marty Chavez, and municipalities and operators of water systems throughout the state have repeatedly registered their concerns about the impact of the now finalized stricter EPA standard, down from 50 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb.
“We all want, expect, and deserve safe and clean drinking water that is affordable. Through a combination of the EPA’s new standards and federal assistance, I believe we’ll continue to get just that,” said Wilson today after introducing her legislation. “I’ve always shared the concerns of the operators of our water systems throughout New Mexico that the high costs of complying with stricter new standards could raise water bills so high that New Mexicans can no longer afford treated water. The federal government must help cover the cost of these new standards.”
The New Mexico Environment Department estimates that at 10 ppb, approximately 25 percent of New Mexico`s water systems will be affected. The price tag for compliance will fall between $400 million and $500 million in initial capital expenditures. Annual operating costs could vary anywhere between $16 million and $21 million. Additionally, large water system users would see an average water bill increase between $38 and $42 a month, and small system users would see an average water bill increase of $91 monthly.
Senator Pete Domenici has introduced similar legislation in the U.S. Senate. Wilson colleague Congressman Jim Gibbons (NV-2) is an original cosponsor of Wilson’s legislation.
"Communities throughout our country will either have to pay for significant upgrades to their existing water treatment facilities, or construct completely new facilities in order to meet the new EPA arsenic standards," said Gibbons, sponsor of similar legislation to assist smaller communities with fewer than 10,000 residents. "We need to ensure that these new EPA standards do not become an unfunded mandate on our communities, forcing them to either file bankruptcy or to raise water rates drastically-- perhaps by as much as 300 percent. After all, what good is a stricter arsenic standard if our communities cannot afford to meet them?"
Here’s a summary of Wilson’s Safe Drinking Water Act:
Wilson’s bill authorizes $1.9 billion, between 2002-2006, for the grants.
Grant funding would allow communities to implement compliance projects, obtain technical assistance, and train and certify system operators. Albuquerque and communities serving less than 200,000 people, as well as American Indian tribes, would be eligible.
Applying directly to the EPA, communities would be awarded grants based on financial need and per capita cost of complying with drinking water standards.
The bill utilizes the existing National Drinking Water Advisory Council to review applications and make recommendations on grant awards. The 15-member council is comprised of five members each from: the general public; state and local agencies; and private organizations.
In order to encourage the EPA to award grants in a timely manner, the bill also stipulates that EPA is prohibited from enforcement action against a community that has applied for an assistance grant.
The federal cost-share amount would not exceed 90 percent, however the EPA administrator could waive the minimum 10-percent local-state match if it is determined a community is unable to pay. |
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